Bank vault



BANK VAULT Fil'ed Nov. 2,' 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mami? June 22 1926. 1,590,007

. R. R. wEs'r l BANK VAULT Filed Nov. 2, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 2V Fetented .lune 22, 1926.

Ulill'lbgg STA'TES OFFICE.

ROSS R. "WEST, OF SAN FRANCISGO, CALIFORNA.

BANK VAULT.

Application filed November rl`he invention relates to ban: vaults and pirticularly to the provision of a device ulapted to be embedded in one Wall of the vault, for use as a ventilator, so that, in the event that one of the employees ofthe bank should be locked inthe vault, either accidentally or intentionally, the opening in the ival'l provided by the device, Will permit ot sulilcientventilation Within the vaultto pre'- vent sutlocation.

Vaults are co stru'cte'd to certaink rigid specifications, thereby providinga construction Which renders theV vault substantially immune from successful atta'clbyy drills and by the flame ot a metal cutting torch.

Vaults are also constructed to preservethe contents against an external rise in temperature, which might be caused, tor instance, by the total destruction of the building in which the vault is placed, by tire. In my invention described. and claimed in Letters Fatent No. 1,549,244), issued to me on August 1]., 1925, I provided a ventilating` device which, while providing the necessary ventilation, does not render the vault more susceptible of successful attach by drilling` or by the torch. The device provided is also heat-resistant to at least the same degree as the Walls ot' the vault, so that heat will not be conducted into the vault through the ventilating device, in the event et the existence et a. high temperature exterior to the vault. Briefly described, said ventilating device comprises a metallic sleeve embedded in the Wall ol the vault, with a closure member therein. removable from the interior of the vault,. saidmember being; tightly screwed into the sleevev and further locked therein by screw cap on the inner end of the sleeve. The member and cap were both provided with suitable slots to receive a Wrench for 1unscrentingthe same. A. suitable Wrench tor this purpose was provided which Was hung or positioned in a convenient location Within the vault. lt has new been found that this arrangement is not satisfactory, since/it is possible ior the Wrench tol become lost or misplaced, Withthe result that the ventilatingy device might not b'eavailable at the time when: needed. Inasmuch as lives are inv jeopardy at the time When the need 'lor such a device arises, it is necessary to 'eliminate every conceivable possibility of 'tailule,jai nl the pre invention is the 2, 1925. Serial No. 665297.

nature o--an improvement of the Ventilating device shovvn insaid Letters Patent', having for its object the provision o'lrsuch a device with all operable parte connected, thereby. eliminating the objectionable features above pointed out.

The invention possesses other adv-auf tagecus features, seine ot which with the foregoing, will' beset forth at length in the following description, Where l shall outline in iull that form of the invention rvhicl; l have selected for illustration in thedrawings accompanyingand forming part ofthe pres-` ent specification. In saidV` drawings Ik have shown one form of device embodying my invention, but itis to be understood'thatl I do not limit myseltto such ormpsince the in.- vention, as set 'forth in the claims, may be embodied in a. plurality of forms.

Reterringto the drawings:

F-igurely is a section through a device constructed in accordance with my` invention and embedded inthe masonryvivall ot an vault.

Figure 2 is a cross section et the device taken on the line 2--2' o-EFig. l.

Figure 3 is a cross section et the device taken on the line 3'-3 of Figure landY Figure l is an vend view showing the com.- bined cap andvvrench handle employed :tor securing and removing the closing'plug from the sleeve forming the ventil'ating passage in the vault.

Vault Walls are now usually made out ina'- sonry, such as concrete, and I have shown the device of' my invention embedded ina concrete vault Wall'.` The device of my invention comprises a metallic sleeve adapted to be embedded in the Wallet the vault and provided with means for minimizing the transfer of heat through the metal of the sleeve. For this purpose the;V sleeve comprisesv two sleeve parts` il and The outer sleeve part l is preferably provided with an annular exterior lange, the outer surface oi Whichis preferably flush withv the outer surface ofthe vault wall. The outer cud oit"l the sleevepart l is also pizezterably provided ivith an inner *arnnnil'arv flange 2" havvvill appear he' naftter. The tivo sleeve parts are provi 'ed at their 'adjacent ends with outwardlyext'ending annular flanges l2 and'v 13, between whichv a le ing' a bevelledy inneredge", for reasons that l rial which minin'iizes the flow ot heat longitudinally throiurh the sleeve. The tufo sleeve parts are secured together by threaded bolts l5. este1 ding through apertures in the Yflanges l2 and 123. The outer sleeve part l is provided on its inner surfacey adjacent its inner end, with a sci-en' threaded portion l0, 'lor reasons which Will hereinat'ter become apjiarent. The outer sleeve part. l is 1irefenably made ot a drill reistant steel, so that it vvill successfully Withstand attach. rlnhe inner sleeve part o is provided on its external surface with a long' screw threaded portion 1T and the part 5 is made ot sutil/cient length. so that its inner end projects beyond the inner surface o1c the vault Wall 13. By making; 'the sleeve in two parts.y the inner part 5 may be made of a softer steeh so that the. inner end thereof may be readily cut off to provide a complete sleeve of any desired lenogtln depending upon the ividth ot the vault Wall. The inner sleeve parts 5 are usually made to a standard length, sutlicient to tit a vault vvall or" the maximum thickness and these sleeves are cut oli ttor vault walls ot lesser thickness thereby making' it necessary to manufacture only one length ot sleeve. The sleeve is held in place on its inner end by a nut 19 enjggagring` the screw threaded portion 17 and bearing' against a washer 2l `which in turn bears against the vault .vall. The sleeve extends beyond the nut 19 tor reasons which will subsequently become apparent.

Seated in the sleeve is a removable plug, Which may be removed only from Within the vault. This plus' is formed in two parte, comprising' a head portion @il and body portion 23. The plu g portions are hollow and are lorovided at their adjacent ends with inturned flanges 24, 25, between which there is arranged a ringr 2G of heat insulating;- material which mininiif/.es the transt'er oi? heat throughL the plug. The heat insulating ringr 9.5 lies in the same plane as the heat insulatingA ring); lli, so that there cannot be a transn'xission ot' heat through the device by the heat nissingr alternately t'roin the sleeve to the plopY and vice versa. rilhe head portion ot the plug,` provided on its outer surtace, adjacent its inner end, with a Sorenv threadet portion which meshes with the screiv threaded portion 1G on the sleeve, so that the plug' is iirinly and rigidly held in place and can be removed only by being rotated. rlfhe head o'f the plug` is closed at its outer end `by a thiol; Wall 2T, which is preferably made of drill resistant steel, At its outer end the head is provided with a projection 28 which [its snugly into the opening,r in the lange l', forming a tight contact With the inclined edge 8, so that no crack is left through Which material may be introduced into the vault. The hollow interior of the forward portion' of the plug is preferably t 1led`with, a

material :29 which is torch resisting or drill resisting or both, or with a metal, such as copper.

The flanges Z-t und 25 are secured together by a plurality ot threaded bolts 30. The inner edge ot' the flange 2l terms a square opening 3l and the inner edge ot tlangc EI) forms a circular opening` 32. u'rench 33 centrally positioned Within the body portion 23 extends through the openings 30 and 3l. rl`he Wrench 33 is square in cross section and adapted to tit the square opening 3l so that the head portion 22 may be screwed in and out of the sleeve portion "1 by rotatime` the Wrench. lt is obvious tha the opening` 3l need not necessarily lic square, since any straight sided opening will also serve the saine purpose, the Wrench oi course being shaped to fit the opening. The

Wrench is preterably locked in the opening 3l by a pin 3st as shown in Fig. l. this arrang'en'ient.y the torque from the wrench is applied directly to the head portion 22, thereby avoiding' shearing of the bolts 3U and pin 3a. The free end oi the Wrench 30 extends to an intermediate point Within the body portion 23 near its open end and 1s formed with a flange 35. An extension piece 36. formed with a flange 37 is secured to the Wrench 34 by a plurality oi bolts 3S 'which entend through flanges 35 and Preferably a ring 39 ot suitable heat insulating' material is disposed between the flanges 35 and 37 Which further minimizes the tlow of heat longitudinally through the sleeve. The Wrench extension member extends out ol the open end of body portion 23 a suitable distance and is provided at its free end With a hexagonal nut l0 which is keyed thereon as indicated at .tl and secured thereto by a setscreW 42.

The inner end ot the plug preferably extends beyond the inner end ot the sleeve and afterthe plug,r has been screwed tightly in place, it is i'urther locked in position by a cap 43, which screws onto the projecting end ot the sleeve. rl`he cap 43 also serves as the handle for the Wrench 337 and is provided With a central opening lll through which the Wrench extension 3G projects. rhe cent-ral opening it is counter-bored and shaped to tit the nut l0 as indicated at 45, and on its periphery. the cap is provided with a plurality of handles 4:6 for rotating the same. The cap Lft-3 is slipped over the enel of the extension piece 36 aft-er Which the nut l0 is secured to said piece as described. lVhen placing the plug in the sleeve5 the cap is moved rearwardly to enthe nut l0 and rotated until the plugis `screwed into the sleeve, after Which the cap 1s slipped forward and itself tightly screwed on the sleeve. F or removing the plug from the sleeve5 the reverse operation takes place. Preferably, the nut i9 ina-y be ll O provided with a switch mechanism of an alarm system, which may be ot any standard tvpe .and indicated at 17, which is actuatedbj7 a plunger 48. The plunger i8 extends through the wall ol inner part 5 and engages the outer surface of the body,y pou -tion 2), which is provided with a peripheral slot 24, as shoivn in Fig. 3. This slot so positioned with respect to the plunger i8 that when the plug is rotated for removal 'from the sleeve, the plunger may drop into the same and actuate the alarm mechanism,

thereby indicating that the Ventilating lpasthrough the Wall, an annular shoulder on the inner side of the sleeve at its outer end, a plug screwed into said sleeve and Jforming a tight engagement with said shoulder, and means for rotating said plug comprising a Wrench positioned within the plug and eX- tending therefrom and means for rotating said Wrench.

2. The combination with a vault Wall of a metallic sleeve embedded in and entending through the Wall, an annular shoulder on the inner side oi the sleeve at its outer end, a plug screwed into said sleeve and forming a tight engagement with said shoulder, and means for rotating said plug comprising a Wrench positioned Within the plug and secured thereto at one end, the opposite end extending troni the inner ends of the plug and sleeve and having means for rotating the same.

3. The combination with a vault Wall, oit a hollow metallic sleeve embedded in the Wall and extending therethrough, a hollow plug screwed into said sleeve having an in ner transve se ivall at an intermediate point termed with a straight-sided opening, a Wrench in engagement with said opening and projecting -from the inner ends of the sleeve and plug and means on the projecting portion of said Wrench for rotating the same.

at. The combination -with a vault wall, ot a metallic sleeve embedded in and extending through the vvall, an annular shoulder on the inner side of the sleeve at its outer end, a plug screwed into said .sleeve and forming a tight engagement with said shoulder, said plug having a hollow portion with wenn therein for receiving a vraie/b,

a Wrench in engagement with said means and projecting 'from the inner ends of said sleeve and plug and means on `the Iprojecting end of said Wrench -tor rotating the same.

5. The combination with a vault wall, of a metallic sleeve embedded in and extending through. said Wall, a plug having a hollow body and a drill resistant head screwed into said sleeve, a socket. Within said head, a wrench in engagement with said socket positioned Within the hollow 4bodj7 and projecting therefromv and means on the projecting end off said wrench for rotating the saine.

ti. Vlhe combination with a vault Wall, of a metallic sleeve embe` d in and extending through the -wall, s 1d sleeve being proiread- 'nner vided on lits inner end with a sereni t pertion anfil being led .on ce 'with a serien* tb. I po. gaging the latter soreivthr I l portion and closing the aperture through the sleeve, a cap engaging the Ylormer screw threaded portion and overlying the inner end of the plug and means tor rotating said plug comprising a Wrench in engagement with said plug and extending through said cap.

l'. The combination with a vault Wall, of a met-allie sleeve embedded in and extending through the Wall, said sleeve being provided on its inner end vvith a screvv threaded portion and being provided on its inner surivitli a screvv threaded portion, a plug engaging the latter screw threaded portion and closing the aperture through the sleeve, a Cap engaging the former screw threaded port-ion and overlying the inner end ot the plug, said cap having a central opening and a socket on its exterior surface surrounding said opening, and means for rotating said plug comprising a Wrench in engagement with said plug and projecting through said cap central opening, and a nut xed on the projecting end ot said Wrench adapted to tit the socketin said cap.

8. The combination with a vault Wall, of a metallic sleeve embedded in and extending through the Wall, said .sleeve being provided on its inner end with. a screw threaded portion and being provided on its inner surface with a. screw threaded portion, a plug engaging the latter screw threaded portion and closing the aperture through the .sleever` a cap engaging the iormer sireiv threaded portion 'and overlying the inner end of the plug, d cap haring a central opening and sociict on its exterior surface surrounding said opening, and means tor rotating said plug comprising a Wrench in engagement with said plug and projecting through said cap central opening, and a nut lined on the projecting end ot said wrench adapted to tit the socket in said cap and means on the refinery et sie @se tei ret-.stills the Saaie 9. The combination with avault Wall, of a metallic sleeve embedded in and extending through the wall, said sleeve being provided on its inner end With a screw threaded portion and being provided on its inner surface with a screw threaded portion, a plug engaging the latter screw threaded portion and closing the aperture through the sleeve and means Jr'or rotating the plug comprising a Wrench in engagement with said plug and projecting from the inner end of Said sleeve, a nut on the projecting end of said Wrench and a cap slidable on said projecting Wrench end having threads for engaging the former screw threaded portion in one position and ay socket 1Cor receiving said nut in another position.

10. The combination with a vault wall, of a metallic sleeve embedded in and extending through the Wall, said sleeve being provided on its inner end With a screw threaded portion and being provided on its inner surface with a screw threaded portion, a plug engaging the latter screw threaded portion and closing the aperture through the sleeve and means for rotating the plug comprising a Wrench in engagement With said plug and projecting from the inner end or' said sleeve, a nut on the projecting end of said Wrench and a cap slidable on said projecting Wrench end having threads for engaging the former screw threaded portion in one position and a socket for receiving said nut in another position, and means on the periphery of said cap for rotating the same.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

ROSS R. WEST., 

